Chicago Schools Facing Heat Over Teacher Misconduct
Child Advocate and Former Student Urge Stronger Action
Tania Haigh, president of KIDS TOO, a child advocacy group, recently addressed the Chicago Public Schools (CPS) board, criticizing the district's approach to teacher misconduct. She argued that the current system fails to protect students and is both morally wrong and financially irresponsible.
$17.5 Million Settlement in Sexual Abuse Case
Haigh's comments followed the board's approval of a $17.5 million settlement for a former student who was sexually abused by her dean, Brian Crowder. Crowder was convicted and sentenced to 22 years in prison. Prosecutors revealed that he posed as the student's stepfather to help her obtain abortions while she was still in high school. The former student, now 27, stated that she can finally move on and heal.
Widespread Misconduct at Little Village Lawndale High School
This case is part of a larger issue at Little Village Lawndale High School, where at least seven educators have been fired or resigned since 2017 while under investigation for misconduct. Haigh suggested several reforms:
- Fully staff the Office of Inspector General
- Amend the collective bargaining agreement to stop paying educators on leave while accused of misconduct
- Incentivize staff to report misconduct to avoid costly lawsuits
Former Student Shares Her Story
Ana Salano, a former student, shared her experience of being groomed into a sexual relationship with her teacher, Dennis Kass. She and other former students provided social media messages as evidence. Although the inspector general found insufficient evidence that Kass groomed students, his conduct was deemed unbecoming of an employee. Kass and other accused educators have been banned from being rehired at CPS.
Policy Changes in Response to Investigations
In response to the investigation, the board made the following policy changes:
- Expanded reporting methods for misconduct or abuse allegations
- Extended protections to recent graduates
- Banned all CPS employees from using personal emails or social media accounts to communicate with current students or recent graduates
However, Ana stated that these changes do not feel like enough.
